Gate



July 7, 1925.

J. D. SPEER GATE Filed July 8, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 GATE File y 8. 1924 2 SheetsSheet 2 :1 1 Ti v Ai I llllll o R WWW wmyam To all whom it may comm:

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Application me m a, 1924. mm m. mace.

Be it known that I, Jm .D. a citizen of the United States, res ding at Gordon, in the county of Palo Pinto and I State of Texas, have invented new and use-' ful Improvements in Gates, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to gates and has for an object the provision of a vehicle operated gate which is especially designed to be rated through contact by an automobilf. For this urpose the invention provides a novel form df latch and anovel form of latch 15 operating means which is normally arranged to hold the gate in closed position but which will be re eased through contact by an automobile to permit the gate to 'o 11 under pressure of said automoblle, a er a which the gate will be automatically closed.

Another object of the invention is the provision of means included in the latch operating means for contact by the automobile, whereby the gate may be forced to an open position for the passage of the automo ile without shock or jar.

With the above and-other objects in view, the invention further includes the following novel features and details of construction,

to be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings v Figure 1 is an elevation of a gate constructed in accordance with the invention and shown in closed position.

Fi re 2 is a top plan view of the same showing a fragmentary portion of an automobile. Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Fi re 2.

igure 4 is a fragmentary inner face view of the latch post.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating the mounting of the latch bar, its on a'gement with one of the avity dogs and the position of the lifting ar.

I Referring to the drawings in detail 50 wherein like characters of reference denote corres nding parts, the reference character in 'cates a gate which may be of any suitable construction and which is hingedly that the gate may open in opposite mounted as shown at 11 upon a post 12, so directlons or upon opposite sides of a latch post For holding the gatein closed position the invention includes a latch bar 14, one

end of which is pivotally mounted as shown at 15 between spaced ears located at the lower end of a strap 16 secured transversely of one of. the bars of the gate. The opposite end of the latch bar 14 is normally ositioned between a pair of gravity ogs. These dogs com rise lates 17 which are ivotally soon to t e latch post. 13 as indicated at 18 and which have extending therefrom toward the gate marginal flanges 19. The flanges 19 extend along the outer edges of the p ates 17 and are provided with extensions or lugs 20 which engage the o lpposite faces of the post 13 so as to hold t e dogs against pivotal movement in one direction but permit free pivotal movement in' an opposite direction.

The latch bar is adapted to be released through contact by an automobile and for this purpose there is provided horizontally movable means which extends laterally upon opposite sides of the gate for engagement by the/front wheels of an automobile as shown in Figure 2 of the drawings, the tires of the wheels being indicated at A. This means comprises a substantially V- shaped frame whose restricted end is secured to the gate in a manner to permit of horizontal swmging movement at the wide or flared end 0 the frame. For this purpose there are extending from a block 21, oppositely disposed headed studs 22, the

latter being loosely =received within openings at the inner ends of horizontally disposed outwardly fiared bars 23. The bars 23 are connected byhorizontally disposed bars 24 which extend through the gate and by a horizontally disposed lifting bar 26.

e bar 26 extends transversely through the gate beneath the latch 14 and is narrowed or reduced centrally so as to provide oppositely, outwardly and upwardl disposed inclined cam lifting faces 2 whereby when the bar 26 is moved horizontally through the gate, the latch bar 14 will ride upward to clear the upper ends of the gravity dogs and permit the gate to be opened. The frame is held normally centered by means of oppositely extending springs 28.

For the purpose of supporting the outer or wide end of the horizontally swinging frame there is provided a transverse bar 29 and ivotally connected to the outer ends of this bar as shown at 30 are the upper ends of links 31. The lower ends of these links are pivotally connected to the opposite ends of the bar 26 as shown at 32 so that the said bar 26 may swing in opposite directions and will be supported in such swinging movement to raise the latch bar 14 as previously mentioned.

The gate is automatically returned to closed position through the medium of springs 33.

An automobile approaching the gate as shown in Figure 2 of the drawings will have 'one of its front wheels contact one of the bars 23 near the outer end of said bar. Pressure against the bar will cause the latter to swing horizontally and raise the latch over one of the gravity dogs in the manner previously described, the automobile being driven at slow speed. As the gate opens, the other front wheel of the auto.- mobile will en age the bar 23, the engagement being su sequent to the engagement of the first mentioned wheel due to the shape of the horizontally swinging frame. The gate will thus continue to open under pressure of the automobile untilthe latter has passed entirely through. The springs 33 will then return the gate to closed position, the pivotal mounting of the dog permitting the latter to move out of the path of the bar 14 until the latter has passed. The opposite dog will act to stop the gate so that the said gate will remain in closed position. It is of course obvious that the gate may be operated from either side.

The invention is susceptible of various changes in its form, proportions and minor details of construction and the right is herein reserved to make such changes as properly fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention what is claimed is 1. The combination with a horizontally swinging ate, of a pivotally mounted latch bar, spaced gravity dogs located in the path of said bar for holding the gate in closed position, horizontally movable means extending laterally upon opposite sides of the gate and operatively associated with the atch bar whereby said latch bar may be elevated to clear the dogs and permit the gate to open, substantially vertically disposed links having one of their ends pivotally secured to the gate and their other ends pivotally secured to the horizontally movable means for supporting one end of the latter, yieldable means for holding the hori- .the gate to closed zontally, movable means in normal position and means for returning the gate to closed position.

2. The combination with a horizontally swinging gate, of a pivotally mounted latc bar, spaced gravity dogs located in the path of said bar for holding the gate in'closed position, a frame disposed longitudinally of and extending transversely through the gate, means supporting one end of the frame for horizontal pivotal movement, means supporting the opposite end of the frame, means carried by the frame and operatively associated with the latch bar, whereby movement of the frame will elevate said bar to clear the dogs and permit the gate to open, yieldable means for holding the frame in normal position and means for returning position.

3. The combination with a horizontally swinging gate, of a pivotally mounted latch bar, spaced gravity dogs located in the path of said bar for holding the gate in closed position, a horizontal frame disposed longitudinally of and extending transversely through the gate, means supporting one end of the frame for horizontal pivotal movement, means supporting the opposite end a of the frame, a transversely extending lifting bar carried by the frame and engaging the latch bar, whereb the latter will be elevated to clear the dbgs and permit the gate to open whenthe frame is moved horizontally, yieldable means for holding the frame in normal position and means for returning the gate to closed position.

4:. The combination with a horizontally swinging gate, of a pivotally mounted latch bar, spaced gravity dogs located in the path of said bar for holding the gate in closed po sition, a horizontal frame disposed longitudinally of and extending transversely through the gate, means supporting one end of the frame for horizontal pivotal movement, means supporting the opposite end of the frame, bar carried by the frame, oppositely extending outwardly and upwardly inclined faces on one edge of the bar for engagement with the latch bar whereby the latter will be elevated to clear the dogs and permit the gate to open when the frame is moved horizontally, yieldable means for holding the frame in normal position and means for returning the gate to closed position.

v 5. The combination with a horizontally swinging gate, of a pivotally mounted latch bar, spaced gravity dogslocated in the path of said bar for holding the gate in closed position, horizontall movable vehicle engaging means exten ing laterally upon opposite sides of the gate, a transversely movable lifting bar extending through the gate and positioned beneath the latch bar, whereby said latoh bar may a transversely extending lifting be elevated to clear the do and rmit the te to open, yieldable lizans 31 holding the horizontally movable means in normal position and means for returning the gate to closed position.

6. The combination with a horizontall swinging ate, of a ivotally mounted latc bar, space gravity ogs located in the path of said bar for holding the gate in closed position, a horizontally disposed substantially V-shaped vehicle engaging frame extending transversely through the gate and coextensive with the length thereof, means supporting the frame for horizontal swinging movement, means carried b the frame 15 ing the frame in normal position and means 20 for returning the gate to closed position.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

JEFF DAVIS SPEER 

